Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea’s tropical climate and high-rainfall zones make it well suited to hot pepper cultivation, even though chilies arrived relatively late via European and regional trade. Small, very pungent Capsicum frutescens–type peppers are commonly sold in local markets and simply called “chilli,” used sparingly because of their intense heat yet often present at nearly every meal.

These peppers are typically added whole or sliced to soups, stews, and sautéed greens, or served as a raw, mashed condiment with lime and salt alongside starchy staples like kaukau (sweet potato), taro, and sago. In many rural communities, chilies grow in mixed home gardens with bananas, greens, and root crops, where household seed saving maintains local selections adapted to altitude and rainfall.

While not as globally famous as some regional chiles, Papua New Guinea’s market “bush chillies” quietly anchor everyday flavor and heat in contemporary Papuan cooking.